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Topic: Orthodox celebrating Ash Wednesday? (Read 679 times)

Anyone do this? I mean, I know our Church doesnt celebrate it, but would it be wrong for an Orthodox person to attend one of these services? I think this service is one of the few things ill actually miss about the Western tradition.

So what say you?

If you grew up with Ash Wednesday, would you still attend as long as you didnt commune?

(P.S. I didnt go to one today, but considered. Just curious what you all think.)

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Even if we have thousands of acts of great virtue to our credit, our confidence in being heard must be based on God's mercy and His love for men. Even if we stand at the very summit of virtue, it is by mercy that we shall be saved.

Depends on what your answer would be to the question of whether it's okay for Orthodox to participate in heterodox services. I don't think the fact that it's Ash Wednesday makes it any more or less acceptable than any other day.

Anyone do this? I mean, I know our Church doesnt celebrate it, but would it be wrong for an Orthodox person to attend one of these services? I think this service is one of the few things ill actually miss about the Western tradition.

So what say you?

If you grew up with Ash Wednesday, would you still attend as long as you didnt commune?

(P.S. I didnt go to one today, but considered. Just curious what you all think.)

Western-rite Orthodox still have Ash Wednesday, but this year it's much later than RC Ash Wednesday.

What do you mean by "attend?" Also, it wouldn't exactly make sense when our Lent is still a month away to participate in the beginning of Western Lent. Not to mention, like Orthodox11 said, it's no different than attending a normal Mass.

Understood. By "attend" I mean to go "attend" the service and sit through it. I attend heterodox services quite often, (due to family, my band playing evangelical youth camps, etc.) but I dont commune.

Ive just always loved this service and like I said its one of the few things ill miss. Just wondered if there would be any harm in attending.

Funny how on OC.net everyone is like "NOOO!!! No HETERODOX SERVICES!!!!"

but the real world doesnt really work that way. My whole family and all of my friends are protestant. Sometimes, I just have to go....

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Even if we have thousands of acts of great virtue to our credit, our confidence in being heard must be based on God's mercy and His love for men. Even if we stand at the very summit of virtue, it is by mercy that we shall be saved.

Understood. By "attend" I mean to go "attend" the service and sit through it. I attend heterodox services quite often, (due to family, my band playing evangelical youth camps, etc.) but I dont commune.

Ive just always loved this service and like I said its one of the few things ill miss. Just wondered if there would be any harm in attending.

Funny how on OC.net everyone is like "NOOO!!! No HETERODOX SERVICES!!!!"

but the real world doesnt really work that way. My whole family and all of my friends are protestant. Sometimes, I just have to go....

Does the church your family belongs to celebrate Ash Wednesday?

« Last Edit: February 13, 2013, 08:26:14 PM by Ansgar »

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Do not be cast down over the struggle - the Lord loves a brave warrior. The Lord loves the soul that is valiant.

Funny how on OC.net everyone is like "NOOO!!! No HETERODOX SERVICES!!!!"

No one has said NOOOOOOOO yet. I just don't see the difference between attending on Ash Wednesday or any other day. If you attend other services, why would there be any more harm in attending this one? Conversely, if you normally try to stay away from other services, why would there be any less harm in attending this one?

Understood. By "attend" I mean to go "attend" the service and sit through it. I attend heterodox services quite often, (due to family, my band playing evangelical youth camps, etc.) but I dont commune.

Ive just always loved this service and like I said its one of the few things ill miss. Just wondered if there would be any harm in attending.

Funny how on OC.net everyone is like "NOOO!!! No HETERODOX SERVICES!!!!"

but the real world doesnt really work that way. My whole family and all of my friends are protestant. Sometimes, I just have to go....

I wasn't saying not to go to their services. If your priest is fine with your presence then that matters more than what we, random denizens of the internet, have to say.

My priest is fine with my presence at services - I've gone with friends and family. I don't commune or participate (except, possibly, for something like the Lord's Prayer). The only problem I see is attending for one's own benefit, rather than to accompany others, but again it's best for your priest to decide.

Understood. Sorry if I came off a little harsh with my response. I wasnt so much referring to this thread, but its more just an underlying vibe I pick up from this entire forum sometimes. Maybe thats unfair, and I cant really pinpoint exactly what I mean either. Its just there.

This thread was simply to see what other folks thought, or maybe if other people had attended this service before after converting.

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Even if we have thousands of acts of great virtue to our credit, our confidence in being heard must be based on God's mercy and His love for men. Even if we stand at the very summit of virtue, it is by mercy that we shall be saved.

If you get the ashes on Ash Wednesday, you will immediately be excommunicated for no less than eight years, and put under the spiritual care of a monastic, who will over see your strict regimen of fasting, prostrations, and prayer.

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You are right. I apologize for having sacked Constantinople. I really need to stop doing that.

If you get the ashes on Ash Wednesday, you will immediately be excommunicated for no less than eight years, and put under the spiritual care of a monastic, who will over see your strict regimen of fasting, prostrations, and prayer.

If you get the ashes on Ash Wednesday, you will immediately be excommunicated for no less than eight years, and put under the spiritual care of a monastic, who will over see your strict regimen of fasting, prostrations, and prayer.

Sounds like a pretty liberal response.

No one has ever called me liberal before.

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You are right. I apologize for having sacked Constantinople. I really need to stop doing that.

If you get the ashes on Ash Wednesday, you will immediately be excommunicated for no less than eight years, and put under the spiritual care of a monastic, who will over see your strict regimen of fasting, prostrations, and prayer.

That would be Attila the Nun.

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Quote from: GabrieltheCelt

If you spend long enough on this forum, you'll come away with all sorts of weird, untrue ideas of Orthodox Christianity.

Quote from: orthonorm

I would suggest most persons in general avoid any question beginning with why.

If you get the ashes on Ash Wednesday, you will immediately be excommunicated for no less than eight years, and put under the spiritual care of a monastic, who will over see your strict regimen of fasting, prostrations, and prayer.

Sounds like a pretty liberal response.

No one has ever called me liberal before.

I'm sorry you received such a hurtful comment. Hopefully you can prove how un-liberal you are by restarting the Inquisition. I have some names for you, if you need some candidates.

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Quote from: GabrieltheCelt

If you spend long enough on this forum, you'll come away with all sorts of weird, untrue ideas of Orthodox Christianity.

Quote from: orthonorm

I would suggest most persons in general avoid any question beginning with why.

Last year I attended the Mass of Ash Wednesday. There were 2 reasons: firstly, I wanted to be with my Roman Catholic mother on this first day of their Great Lent - it was just 1 and half month after my Orthodox chrismation, so she was very upset, as it was first time that we didn't celebrate Lent, Holy Week and Easter together; secondly, it was just 5 days to our Lent and I find this service quite symbolical, so it wasn't problem to me even to get some of ash on my head.

This year I didn't go to this service, as it's a looooong time to our Lent and my mother seems to completely come to terms with my conversion into the faith of my fathers, so I just wished her a blessed Lent, presented some Orthodox prayers for this time and that's it.

The next year, as we will celebrate Pascha together, probably I will attend the Mass of Ash Wednesday just right after the st. Andrew's Canon. It will be a nice gesture for my mother and I will get some ash (and sing some Polish penitential songs ). I don't find it something wrong, but it's probably because I used to attend this service so long time, and then attend both - Ash Wednesday and st. Andrew's Canon

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Pray for persecuted Christians, especially in Serbian Kosovo and Raška, Egypt and Syria

Understood. By "attend" I mean to go "attend" the service and sit through it. I attend heterodox services quite often, (due to family, my band playing evangelical youth camps, etc.) but I dont commune.

Ive just always loved this service and like I said its one of the few things ill miss. Just wondered if there would be any harm in attending.

Funny how on OC.net everyone is like "NOOO!!! No HETERODOX SERVICES!!!!"

but the real world doesnt really work that way. My whole family and all of my friends are protestant. Sometimes, I just have to go....

I wasn't saying not to go to their services. If your priest is fine with your presence then that matters more than what we, random denizens of the internet, have to say.

My priest is fine with my presence at services - I've gone with friends and family. I don't commune or participate (except, possibly, for something like the Lord's Prayer). The only problem I see is attending for one's own benefit, rather than to accompany others, but again it's best for your priest to decide.

That seems to me to be the point, isn't it? Are you attending the service to be with family or because you have to or just because you think it's a neat service?In any case, I would take my priest's advice before attending any non-Orthodox services. For one thing, to examine and consider your reasons for doing so.

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"If but ten of us lead a holy life, we shall kindle a fire which shall light up the entire city."

I loved Ash Wednesday when I was Lutheran, but after I experienced my first Forgiveness Vespers, Ash Wednesday wasn't even on the radar.

However, the so-called "Forgiveness Vespers" aren't nearly as universal even in the OC as the rite of the imposition of ashes is in the RCC. i'd say that what one sees in some American churches -i mean all that going up and down and kissing and asking forgiveness, seems rather an exception in the larger Orthodox world.